Part of bargaining work we do for our members is addressing pressing issues that need attention immediately. These items are best addressed separately from the main contract because they are more time sensitive. Like all items we bargain, the agreements are only tentative and it’s up to the membership to approve them. Below are two new agreements that help protect our members. We also have finally come to an agreement to move APs into the new job family, career track, and career levels system. This is an agreement that was a long time coming.
While PSU-AAUP members of the Classification/Compensation committee voiced concerns over the proposed language in the classification system and suggested more specific language for each job category, the University did not take those suggestions. It is a management right to implement new job classifications without input from our union. We did, however, get to bargain over the process in which APs will be placed into these categories. The result is what is included in this MOA.
Process for The Initial Placement of Academic Professional into New Job Family, Career Tracks, and Career Levels
PSU administration and AAUP have reached a Tentative Agreement on the Process for the initial placement of Academic Professionals (APs) into new Job Family, Career Tracks, and Career Levels. As a result of the 2015-2019 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the University and AAUP conducted a classification study of the current Academic Professional (AP) job families and levels (Letter of Agreement #8). This study, conducted by a jointly selected outside consultant, resulted in the adoption of a new job family structure for Academic Professional and Unclassified/Unrepresented employees. In part, this new structure includes more specific job families and six individual contributor levels for each position category. PSU-AAUP and the University have agreed on procedures that will ensure an efficient and transparent transition from the old job family system to the new one.
COVID-19 impact on NTTF and TT Faculty Reviews
Tenure Track and Non-Tenure Track Faculty who whose scholarship, teaching and service were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the University’s deployment of employees to remote work operations have the option to include evidence in their review material of the impact of the pandemic and remote work on their work in their next review period for the following:
a. Pre-Tenure Annual Reviews
b. Third-Year Review
c. Post-Tenure Review (PTR)
d. Pre-Continuous Appointment Annual Review
e. Post-Continuous Appointment Review
Option for non-tenure track instructional faculty members to delay milestone review for continuous appointment in AY 20/21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19 has created a situation that may interrupt NTTF faculty member’s progress toward Continuous Appointment. A one-year extension of the continuous appointment clock will be offered to all non-tenure track faculty members who are scheduled for their milestone review for continuous appointment in the 20/21 academic year.